Machine tool



w. T. GoLLwrrzr-:R 2,239,847

MACHINE Toor.

Filed Deb. 13, 19:58 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 29, 1941.

LWN 0km@ GLN. f NU 0./

l mw NN MN NN .SQ mmm Nm. SN N NN Y mw mmm QNN April 29, 1941 w. T.GoLLwrrz-ER MACHINE yTOOL Filed Dec. 13, 193B 13 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I l...l 7 ,I

www

may@ 45mm .7M/llegar April 29, 1941. w. T. GoLLwrrzER MACHINE TOOL FiledDec. 13, 1938 13 Sheets-Sheet 3 MACHINE TOOL Filed Dec. 13, 1958lssheets-sheet 4 April 29, 1941.

Filed Dec. 13, 1938 W. T. GoLLwrrzER MACHINE TOOL WWHHHHHHHED 13Sheets-Sheet 5 April 29, 1941. w. T. GoLLwrrzER MACHINE 'rooL Filed Dec.15, 1938 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 W. T. GOLLWITZER April 29, 1941.

MACHINE TOOL Filed DeC v13, 1938 l5 Sheets-Sheet 7 Milli April 29, 1941-w. T. GQLLwrrzER 2,239,847

MACHINE TOOL Filed Dec. 13, 1938 13 Sheets-Sheet 8 April 29, 1941- w.'r. GoLLwrrzr-:R

N. Amy /V 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 MACHINE TOOL Filed Dec. 13, 1938 J w TLM.HH. 5 y n M .l f j M April 29, 1941.. w. T. GoLLwlTzER MACHINE TOOL 13Sheets--Sheekl 10 Filed Deo. 13, 1938 l5 Sheets-Sheet 11 W. T.lGOLLWITZEFI MACHINE TOOL Filed Dec.

.. Wr-,v

April 29, 1941.

April 29, 1941. w. T. GoLLwrrzER MACHINE TOUL Filed Dec. 13, 1958 13Sheets-Sheet l2 29 W. T. @mmm-2m MACHINE TOOL Filed Dec. 13, 193B l5SheetsSheet 13 ILE/Q. ZX

j J70 '94 95 196 j Patented Apr. 29, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEMACHINE TOOL Walter T. Gollwitzer, Euclid, Ohio, assignor toAddressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation ofDelaware Application December 13, 1938, Serial No. 245,539

21 Claims.

' This invention relates to machine tools and more particularly to toolsadapted for the rapid production of relatively small but usuallydifllcult products. Letters Patent of the United States, No. 2,049,439,discloses an index tab for usel on printing devices such as are employedin addressing :and similar series printing machines, and the illustratedform of my invention is adapted for the production of such index tabswhich it will be understood are merely exemplary of products such as canbe produced by my novel machine tool.

My invention -primarily relates to expediting the performance ofperforating, slitting, notching, croppingr and like operations which areoften entailed in the production of small but difficult products such asthe index .ta-b referred to above and heretofore such operations havebeen performed in standard punch presses which required the use ofrelativelylarge, heavy and expensive punches and dies or similardevices.

One of the primary reasons that small products such as the aforesaidindex tab have been produced in standard punch presses by the use oflarge dies or the like is that usually such products require that arelatively high degree of accuracy be main-tained. Heretofore it has notbeen possible to obtain this high degree of accuracy by the use ofrelatively small devices and moreover the punch presses in which suchproducts were produced were not adapted to operate with small devices.

Thus the primary object of my invention is to expedite the production ofrelatively small but usually diicult products entailing accurateoperations, and more specifically to enable the use of relatively smalldevices capable of rapid operation but which are nevertheless soconstructed and arranged that the high degree of accuracy usuallyrequired in the production of small but diiicult products may berealized.

Frequently small diicult products, of which the index tab shown in theabove referred to Patent No. 2,049,439 is an example, are made fromhardened material such as spring steel, and it will be obvious thatperforating, slitting, notching, cropping or like .tools operative onsuch material are dulled more rapidly than corresponding tools whichoperate on softer material. Furthermore, it is usually necessary thatsmall diflicult products be free of burrs and other objectionableconditions which arise when the tools used in the production thereofbecome dulled. Because of these and kindred conditions it is customaryless.

to sharpen rather frequently the tools employed in the production ofproducts such es are' described above. In the past where small diflicultproducts have been produced in standard punch presses by the use ofrelatively large punches and dies or Ithe like, it has been an arduoustask to remove the perforating, slitting, notching, crop- -ping or liketools included in the punches, `dies and the like when |these becomedulled especially because of the size of the devices entailed and themanner in which such tools were mounted in .the punches and dies `andthe like and also the manner in which such devices were mounted instandard punch presses.

Thus, in view of the foregoing, still another important object of thisinvention is to facilitate installation and removal of perforating,slitting, notching, cropping andhlike tools so as to expedite removaland replacement thereof when the tools become dulled in the course ofuse thereof or require replacement for other reasons.

As is well understood in the art, it is necessary that operations suchas punching, slitting, notching, cropping and the like be carried out insuch a way that the material adjacent the place Whereat an operationis-being performed or is otherwise being operated upon be effectivelysupported for otherwise the material may give in the course of anoperation which will of course impair the accuracy of the operation, orthe material may be permanently flexed or otherwise impaired which wouldof course render the products use- Furthermore, where small diicultproducts are being produced it is usually customary to perform thevarious operations entailed in the production thereof progressively andsuch progressive operations are commonly -planned to occur in such a waythat the maximumsupport will be afforded for that part of material onwhich an operation is being performed. In the past relatively large,heavy and ex-pensive punches and dies and -llke devices have enabledthis to be attained for by the use of such devices it was possible toperform progressive operations in such a way that the materials would beproperly supported and hence the desired degree of accuracy could berealized and the production of defective products avoided.

is to effectively support the material from which such products areproduced in such a way that the progressive formation of small difficultproducts, such as the aforesaid index tabs, may be brought aboutexpeditiously with the production of defective products reduced to aminimum.

Still other objects of this invention are to accurately space andoperate the operative portions of a machine tool so as to insure the`production of accurate work; to arrange punches and dies or the likethat are adapted to perform progressive or successive operations in thecourse of production of a product in such a way that the product may beaccurately -produced in a rapid manner; to arrange such punches and diesor the like for simultaneous operation, and an object ancillary to thisis to accurately advance the material from which the produc-ts are beingproduced from one operative position to another, whereat operations areto 'be Iperformed thereon, so that the various operations will beperformed accurately at the proper .places on the material; and toprovide an arrangement wherein -but a single feeding means is requiredto advance material through a plurality of devices adapted to operatethereon in the course of the production of small diiiicult products.

Yet further objects of the invention are to pijovide for expeditiousreplacement of those parts of -perforating, slitting, notching, croppingand like devices that will wear out in the course of use thereof toinsure accurate mountingof those parts that need be removed and replacedas for -the purpose of sharpening and the like; and to aceurately secureoperative parts in position =by forming the retaining means therefor insitu.

Other and further objects will be apparent from the followingdescription wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings inwhich Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine constructed in accordancewith my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a view looking in at the right-hand end of .the machine as itis viewed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation, drawn ,to lan enlarged scale,of operative por-tions of the machine shown in Fig. 1 and in whichcertain parts are broken away;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 5--5 on Fig. 4.

Fig. 5A is a perspective detail View of the drive for operativemechanisms included in the machine;

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken substantially onthe line 6 6 on Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially onthe line 1 1 on Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a guide block employed in the machine;

Fig. 9 is a view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of the material feedingmeans that also appears at the left-hand end of Figs. 1 and 4;

Fig. 10 is a view, similar to Fig. 9, showing the `parts in a differentoperative position from that in which the parts are shown in Fig. 9;

Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 14 are sectional detail views taken substantiallyand respectively on the lines Fig. 15 is a sectional detail view takensubstantially on the line I5-I5 on Fig. 7;

Fig. 15A is a sectional detail view of an adjustable stop employed inthe machine;

Figs. 16, 17, 18, 19, and 21 are sectional detail views takensubstantially and respectively on the lines IG-IB, lI-i'l, Iii-I9,|9--|9, 20-20 and 2I-2I on Fig. 15;

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary elevational view of the strip material andshowing the manner in which the successive operations effected in themachine are carried out as lthe material progresses through the machine;

Fig. 23 is an elevational view of a typical product produced in themachine; and

Fig. 24 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 24-24on Fig. 23.

Inasmuch as my novel machine is entirely automatic in operation andsince one of the important objects of the invention is to effect rapidpro'- duction of small difficult products such as the aforesaid indextabs for printing devices and the like, I have constructed my novelmachine so as to embody two heads that are identical in construction andoperation except as to the order in which the operative parts arearranged therein and in the course of operation of the machine each headis operative to effect production of the products. One of the heads,positioned at the right-hand side of the machine and indicated by R, isreferred to hereinafter as the right-hand head and the other of .theheads, positioned at the left-hand side of the machine and indicated byL, is referred to hereinafter as the left-hand head. It is the left-handhead L that is shown in the detail views and for this reason this headis explained in full and thereafter the distinctions between this headand the head R are explained.

Both of the heads L and R are mounted on a table. A that includes astand generally indicated by B which, in the present instance, comprisesfour legs that are adapted to be rested on a oor or other suitablesupport to so dispo-se the table A that the heads L and R mountedthereon are in a position convenient to the operator of the machine.

In the present instance the machine is arranged to produce tabs T, Figs.23 and 24, from suitable strip material such as spring steel, a strip ofsuch material being indicated by S in the accompanying drawings. Suchstrip material is sized to be of such width that it is equal to theover-all height or length of the product, as the tab T, and, of course,material is selected that is of a thickness equal to the desiredthickness of the product as the tabs T.

The tabs as T, Figs. 23 and 24, that are produced by the illustratedmachine each has the upper part of the body E thereof knurled asindicated at K and the lower ends of the stems C thereof chamfered asindicated at N, that is, the sharp corners of the lower end of the sternare cut away to prevent the stem digging into the material or body ofthe printing device or the like when the tab is being installed in itsposition of use. Moreover, the tabs are preferably made of hard materialsuch as spring steel. Thus, Where products are to have portions, such asthose indicated by K and N on the tab T, which can best be produced whenthe material is soft, such portions are first formed in the material orraw stock which is thereafter hardened and where the material, as it isin the present instance, is in strip form it is wound onto spools as 25which are thereafter so supported on the stand B that the strip materialS may be withdrawn therefrom and fed through the machine in the courseof operation thereof.

Such support is afforded in the present instance by a pair of bracketsas 26, Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Each of these brackets extends outwardly at the left-hand end of thestand B and preferably suitable braces as 21 are provided to insure thatthe brackets 26 afford a rigid support. for the spool that is mountedbetween the brackets and which includes an axle 28 that is adapted to berested in bifurcations as 29 opening through the upper surfaces ofblocks as 30 carried by the brackets 26. In this way such a support isprovided that upon exhaustion of the supply of strip material from onespool another and filled spool may be conveniently substituted, whichisuof course, conducive to rapid operation of the machine.

In the present instance a bracket 3| is mounted at the left-hand end ofthe table A and a flanged roller 32 is rotatably mounted thereon incooperating relation with a retaining roller 33 that extends between theanges on the roller 32 and which has the periphery thereof so spacedfrom the periphery of said roller 32 that the strip material S from'thespool 25 may be fed through the -bight between these rollers. Thisarrangement serves to guide the strip material to the operative parts inthe head L.

Power for driving the operative parts included in both the heads L and Ris, in the present instance, derived from an electric motor M, Fig. 1.secured to a shelf 34 mounted on thestand B below the table A, thismotor having a pulley 35 fast on the drive shaft 36 thereof. A belt 31is passed about the pulley 35.,and also about a pulley 38, Fig. 3, faston the jack shaft 39'journaled in bearings 48 and 4|, Fig. 2, fast tothe top of the table A rearwardly of the heads L and i R. Another pulley42 on the jack shaft 39 and fast to the pulley 38 has a belt 43 passedthereabout and this belt also passes about a pulley 44, Fig. 5, that iskeyed to the drive shaft 45 of both the heads L and R, the drive shaft45 being journaled in bearings 41 and 48 provided on opposite legs 49and 50 of the substantially U- shaped frame 5|, Fig. 4 of the head L,this U- shaped frame being mounted in inverted position. The legs 49 and50' respectively'include pads 52 and 53 through which bolts as 54 arepassed to secure these pads and therefore the frame 5| to a bed 55 forthe heads L and R, this bed being fast to the upper side of the table A.The operative parts in the heads L and R are set in operation by closingcircuit to the motor M by operation of a 'suitably located switch (notshown) whereupon the drive shaft 45 is set in operation.

The head L has suitable means provided at the left-hand side thereof foradvancing the strip S in a step by step manner. In the present instancesuch feeding means are carried by a pad 56, Fig. 4, that is provided onthe outer side of the leg 49 of the frame 5|. The entire strip materialfeeding means Iis mounted on an elongated slide plate 51 which has oneend thereof suitably secured to the pad 56 by locating pins 58 and clampbolts 59, the plate 51 having openings therein through which thelocating pins 58 are passed when the plate is mounted on the pad 56 andthe clamp bolts as 59 freely pass through other openings in this plateand are threaded into tapped openings in the pad 56. This arrangementrigidly supports the plate 51.

The strip material feeding means includes a carriage generally indicatedby 60, Figs. 4, 9 and 12, which has a substantially L-shaped member 6|,Fig. 12, the inner face of the stem of which is rested against the frontside of the plate 51 and the upwardly disposed face of the foot portionof which is rested against the underside of the plate 51. The carriagealso includes another substantially L-shaped member 62 which has the-iil inwardly disposed face of the stem portion thereof rested againstthe rear side of the plate 51 and which has the downwardly disposedinner face of the foot portion thereof rested on the upper edge of theplate v51. The free end of the stem of the member 62 extends past thefree end of the foot portion of .the member 6| and the outwardlydisposed face of this stem portion has spaced recesses 63 and 64, Fig.9, that receive the heads of the bolts as 65 which freely pass throughthe stem portion of the member 62 but which are threaded into tappedopenings in the foot portion of the member 6| (see Fig. 12). The stemportion of the member 6| extends across the free end of the foot portionof the member 62 and spaced recesses 66 and 61 are provided in theoutwardly disposed face of that portion of the member 62 that is inalignment with the foot portion of the member 6|, these recessesreceiving the heads of bolts as 68 that are freely passed through themember 62 but which are threaded into tapped openings in the member 6|(see Fig. 13). It will be seen that the lforegoing arrangement of thetwo L-shaped members so disposed and connected affords a reciprocatorymounting for the carriage 60 on the plate 51.

A bifurcated arm 69, Figs. 9 and 13, has the legs thereof passed overthe outwardly disposed faces of the members 6| and 62 at the inner orright-hand end of the carriage 68 and a pin 10 is passed through thelegs of this arm, the foot portion of the member 6| and the adjacentportion of the stem of the member 62 to thereby afford a pivotal supportfor the arm 69. A roller 1| is rotatable on a stud 12 fast in the freeend of the arm 69. As best shown in Fig. 4, a surface cam 13 is fast tothe drive shaft 45 at the left-hand end thereof, and this cam includes arise 14 and a dwell 15, Spring anchors 16 and 11, Fig. 13, extendoutwardly from the legs of the arm 69 and springs 18 and 19 respectivelyextend between these spring anchors and spring anchors as 80, Fig, 9,that are fast in the members 6| and 62, and these springs act to urgethe roller 1| toward the rise 14 and the dwell 15 on the cam 13,movement of the arm 69 under the influence of the springs 11 and 18being limited by engagement of said arm with a stoppin 69a fast inmember 6| v A plate 8|, Fig..11, is rested against one face of the plate51 near the outer free end thereof and a substantially L-shaped member82 is so positioned that the inwardly disposed face of the stem thereofis rested against the face of the plate 51 opposite from that engaged bythe plate 8|, the foot portion of the substantially L-shaped member 82extending beneath the underside of the plate 51 and engaging the plate8|. Recesses as 83 are provided in the outwardly disposed face of theplate 8| to receive the heads v of bolts as 64 that are freely passedthrough the 4 l positionv shown in Fig. 9 so long as the roller- 1| isin engagement withthe dwell 15 of the cam 13. When, however. in thecourse of rotation of the cam 13 with the drive shaft t5, the rise 18,which includes tapered portions leading toward and away from the highplace thereof, moves into such position -that the approaching taperthereof starts to ride into engagement with the roller 1 i, the springs18 and 19, which are stronger than the springs as 81, resisting pivotingof the arm 99 and therefore as the rise 18 moves over the roller 1|, theeffect of the springs 81 is overcome and the carriage 69 is moved alongthe plate 51 so that by the time the high place of the rise 19 is inengagement with the roller 1| the carriage B9 will have been moved fromthe position in which it is shown in Fig. 9 into the position in whichit is shown in Fig. 10. Of course, as thev high place of the rise 14moves from associatgon with the roller 1| and this roller moves down theu tapered portion of the rise back to the dwell 15. the springs as 81effect the return of the carriage 69 and by the time the roller 1| isriding on the dwell 15 the carriage 89 will be replaced into theposition shown in Fig. 9.

Inasmuch as the rise 19 engages the roller 1| in each rotation of thedrive shaft 15 it will be manifest that the carriage 59 is advanced fromthe position shown in Fig. 9 into the position shown in Fig. I9 andreturned back to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 9 in eachrotation of the drive shaft 45, andlit is this reciprocation of thecarriage 89 that is utilized to irnpart the step by step feeding oradvancing movement to the strip S Such feeding of the strip is effectedby a feed dog 88 that is pivotally mounted on the pad 89 of the sideplate 99, Figs. 12 and 13. This plate 99 is fast to the outwardlydisposed face of the member 82 of the carriage 69 and the pad 89 dependsbelow the foot portion of the member 6| of said carriage. The plate 99is recessed as indicated at 9| to afford clearance below the lower endof the stem of the mem- 'ber 62 and the strip S is fed through thisclear.

ance, said strip/also passing below the outwardly disposed face of thefoot portion of the member 8|, The feed dog 88 is provided with anarcuate upper surface 92 and has a spring anchor 93 thereon. A spring 94extends between this spring anchor and a spring anchor 95 provided onthe pad 89, and the effect of this spring is to urge the arcuate surface92 into position to clamp the strip S against the foot portion of themember 8| Another feed dog 96 is pivotally mounted on a pad 91 thatdepends from the plate 8l. The plate 8| is recessed as indicated at 98,Fig. 11, and the strip S is passed through this recess to lie below thedownwardly disposed face of the foot portion of the member 82. The feeddog 96 includes an arcuate upper surface 99 and has a spring anchor |99thereon. A spring |9| extends between this spring anchor and a springanchor |92 on the pad 91 and acts to hold the arcuate surface 99 inposition to clamp the strip S against the exposed face of the footportion of the member 82.

As will be explained more fully hereinafter, the strip S is fed entirelyacross the head L through the operative mechanisms therein and in thecourse of each operation of the machine a complete tab T is cut from thestrip. The advancing movement that is imparted to the carriage issufcient to advance the strip in each advancing movement thereof in anamount equal to the extent, in the line of movement of the strip, of theproduct such as the tab T. To insure 2,239,847 that a step by stepmovement in this amount is imparted to the strip ln each advancingmovement thereof the carriage 69 is arranged to move slightly more thanthe distance required to advance the strip in the just described amount.However, in order to insure that the strip will only be fed in thedesired amount, an adjustable stop screw |99, Figs. 1, 4 and 15A, isprovided. A groove |89 is provided in the upper face of a clamp block|18, described more fully hereinafter, and the reduced stop end |99a ofthe stop screw |99 is arranged in this groove. T he stop screw assemblyincludes a supporting nut I99b that is mounted in a tapped opening inthe leg 59 of the frame 9|, Figs, 4 and 15A, and the stop screw |99 isrun through a tapped opening in this nut. A lock nut |99c is provided toretain the reduced stop end |9911, of the stop screw |99 in its properlyadjusted position,

In operation, when the carriage 89 starts to move from the position inwhich it is shown in Fig. 9 into the position in which it is shown inFig. l0, it tends to cause the feed dog 88 to pivot relative to thestrip S. The arcuate surface 92 on this feed dog is already in clampingrelation with the strip S and the aforesaid action of the carriage 99causes the feed dog to pivot with the action of the spring 94, and thiscauses the arcuate surface 92 to so clamp the strip S that relativemovement between the strip and the carriage 99 is prevented. Thereforethe strip S advances with the carriage during its movement from theposition in which it is shown in Fig. 9 into the position in which it isshown in Fig. 10. Such `advancing movement Aof the strip S with thecarriage 69 continues until the leading free edge of the strip abuts thefree end of the reduced portion |9911 of the stop screw |90, but as soonas the strip abuts the stop screw further movement of the strip andcarriage is arrested and thereafter the arm 69 pivots about the pin 19against the action of the spring 18 until the roller 1| rests on the topof the rise 14 of the cam 13 as shown in Fig. 10. During advancingmovement of the strip the feed dog 96 pivots against the action of thespring |9| to permit the strip S to slide thereby.

As the cam 13 continues its rotation and the roller 1| starts to movedown from the rise 14 the spring 18 vbrings the arm 69 back intoengagement with the stop 69a whereupon the spring 81 starts to returnthe carriage 89 to the position shown in Fig. 9 and at this time thespring |9| will be acting on the clamping dog 96 to hold v the arcuatesurface 99 thereof in clamping relabeen advanced. However, in the courseof movement of the carriage 69 from the position shown in Fig. 10 to theposition shown in Fig. 9, the arcuate surface 92 rides over the strip Sagainst the action of the spring 94, but when the position shown in Fig9 is reattained by the carriage 89 the spring 94 again causes thearcuate surface 92 to clamp the strip S to thereby prepare for the nextadvancing movement of the carriage 69 during which the strip S willagain be advanced in the manner above described.

It will be seen that the foregoing arrangement insures that the strip Sis advanced in a definite amount in each complete rotation of the driveshaft 45. Furthermore, by'reason of the pivotal mounting of the dogs 88and 98 and the arrangement of the arcuate surfaces thereon as well asthe springs effective thereon, damage to the machine in event of jammingof the strip or the like is prevented.

In order to insure against buckling of the strip, especially afterengagement of the leading edge thereof with the stop screw |90, thestrip is rested on a support plate |a that is secured to the outwardlydisposed face of the leg 49 of the frame 5|, as best shown in Figs. 9and 10.

By referring to Figs. 1, 9, 10, 11 and 12 it will be seen that after thestrip S has been withdrawn from the spool 25 and passed into the bightbetween the rollers 32 and 33 it is threaded through the recess 98, Fig.11, then under the exposed surface of the foot portion of the member 6|,then over the guide plate 5|a and that lng |03 in the leg 49 of theframe 5| to then be passed through the devices carried by the frame 5|which perform the forming operations on the thereafter the strip ispassed through an openstrip S to thereby produce tabs as T. It will 42pbe understood that it is the carriage 60 which advances the strip Sthrough the bight between the rollers32- and 33 and also through theoperative devices in the frame 5| so that only one feeding means isrequired for the strip.

In the present instance where tabs T are being produced, the operativedevices carried by the frame 5| consist of perforating, slitting,notching and cropping mechanisms, and these mechanisms are arranged inside by side relation so as to be rest intervals in the step by stepmovement imparted thereto.

As shown in Fig. 23, the tab T includes a ltongue D that is formed inthe stem C thereof,

this stem being narrower than the body E of the tab so that positioningshoulders P are dened at the juncture of the body E with the stem C.When the stem C is inserted into the retaining devices therefor on aprinting device or the like in its proper position as vdetermined by theshoulders P (as is explained in detail in the above referred to PatentNo. 2,049,439), the tongue D is sprung from the plane of the stem C tocooperate with means which prevent accidental displacement of the tab Tfrom the printing and control device.

Production of means such as the tongue D in a relatively thin membersuch as the tab T can best be effected by performing the formingoperations in such order that the maximum support for the material isafforded during each forming operation and in view of this the formationof the tongue D is effected in the present instance by rst producing theperforation as W, Fig. 22, which defines the top end of the tongue D.The sides of the tongue are next defined by next successively formingthe slits as X and Y. Thereafter the notch Z is formed in the strip S todene, as the parts are viewed in Figs. 22 and 23, the left-hand shoulderP on one tab and the right-hand shoulder P on the succeeding tab.Thereafter the body E of one tab is separated from what is to be thebody E of the succeeding tab by a cropping operation effected along thebroken line R, Fig. 22, and as a part of this cropping operation theupper corners of the body E are trimmed or rounded, as indicated at F,Fig. 23, so that at the end of the cropping operation a tab such as thatillustratedin Fig. 23 is discharged from the machine.

In order to perform the above described operations in the describedsequence a perforating punch and die, generally indicated by |04, Figs.4, 6, l5, 16 and 17, is provided in the frame 5| in successivelyoperative on the strip S during at position to be operative on the stripS immediately after this strip is passed beyond the opening |08. Aslitting punch and die assembly, generally indicated by |05, Figs. 4, 6,15, 16 and 18, is provided in the frame 5| adjacent the perforatingpunch and die assembly |04 and a notching punch and die assembly,generally indicated by |06, Figs. 4, 6, 15, 16 and 19, is provided inthe frame 5| adjacent the slitting punch and die assembly |05. Then acropping punch and die assemsbly, generally indicated by |01, Figs. 4,6, 15, 16 and 20, is provided adjacent the notching punch and dieassembly |06, and the arrangement is such that the perforating punch anddie assembly |04 is mounted in the frame 5| adjacent the leg 49 thereofwhile the cropping punch and die assembly is mounted in the frame 5|adjacent the leg 50 thereof.

As stated heretofore, the frame 5| is fast to the bed 55 and extendinginwardly from each of the legs 49 and 50 of the frame 5|and rested onthe upper surface of the bed 55 are pads |08 and |09; Fig. 5. A guideblock ||0, illustrated in plan detail in Fig. 8, has the lower portionof the rear face thereof abutted against the pads |08 and |09 and, asillustratedy in Fig. 17, bolts as pass through the pads and secure theguide block in position between the legs 49\and 50 of the frame 5|,other bolts |||a, Fig. 4, serving to secure the guide block to the bed55. The guide block ||0 has four vertical guideways ||2, H3, ||4 and ||5therein adapted to respectively receive the punch and die assemblies |04to |01, respectively.

'I'he punch and die assembly |04 is illustrated best in Figs. 15 to 17andI by referring thereto it will be seen that the punch and dieassembly includes a punch holder H6. This punch holder I6 has a portionshaped complementary to the guideway H2, the configuration of which isbest shown in Fig. 8, and this arrangement is such that the punch holderwill be accurately guided in the vertical movement imparted thereto in amanner described hereinafter.4 An opening ||1 extends into the punchholder I6 from the lower end thereof and a punch ||8 is adapted to beinserted into this opening. The punch ||8 is shaped to produce theperforation W, and the cutting portion is therefore semicircular incrosssection. It is important that the punch ||8 lhe held againstmovement in the opening ||1 and this may be conveniently accomplished byforming a keyway I I9, Fig. 17, in the upper end of the punch in suchposition that when the punch is inserted into` the opening I I1 thiskeyway may be aligned with an opening |20 in the punch holder ||6. Thekeyway ||9 is accurately located with respect to the semi-circularconfiguration of the punch ||8 and the opening |20 is accurately locatedin the punch holder ||6. Thus after the keyway ||9 and the opening |20are aligned, the punch may be secured in position as by soldering andthereafter the punch I8 will be accurately held in position.

The die |22 preferably consists of two die blocks |23 and- |2 4 that areaccurately retained in a die holder |25 which also has a portion thereofshapedcomplementary to the guideway ||2. An enlarged opening |26 passesthrough the guide block ||0 from the rear face thereof and opens intothat portion of the guideway ||2 whereat the die holder |25 is to bepositioned, this openmg being countersunk, as indicated at |21, toreceive the head of a bolt |28 that is freely passed through theenlarged opening |26 and which is threaded into a tapped opening |29 inthe die holder |25.

A fblock |30 is fast in the guide block ||0 and projects from the frontface thereof in spaced relation with the bed 55, and a tapped opening|3| is provided in the block |30 in alignment with the guideway |'|2. Anadjusting nut |32 is mounted in the tapped opening |3| and the lower endof the die holder |25 rests on this adjusting nut when in operativeposition. The clearance afforded about the bolt |28 by the enlargedopening |26 enables vertical adjustment of the die holder bymanipulation of the adjusting nut |32 to insure that the operative facesof the die blocks |23 and |24 will lie in proper position to support thestrip S during the time the punch IB is operative thereon. A set screw|32' cooperates with the adjusting nut |32 to prevent undesired movementthereof once the aforesaid positioning of the die blocks |23 and |24hasbeen effected. An opening |3| leads through the adjusting nut |32 andthe die holder |25 and communicates with the die opening |2| in the dieblocks |23 and |24 so that trimmings may fall therethrough to bedischarged from the machine.

In order to further insure accurate cooperation of the punch ||8 withthe die opening |2|, a guide block |33 is provided which has a portionthat is complementary to the guideway ||2. The guide block is retainedin position by a bolt |34 that is freely passed through the guide blockand threaded into a tapped opening in the guide block. The lower portionof the punch holder ||6 is preferably circular in cross-section and issmaller than the upper portion thereof, and this circular portion |35 ispassed through the guide opening providedin the guide block |33.

In order to insure seating of the portion of the punch holder I6 that isshaped complementary to guideway ||2 in such guideway in the verticalreciprocation of this punch h oldler, an opening |36 is provided in theguide block ||0, this opening extending inwardly from the rear face ofthe guide block but being terminated in spaced relation withthe frontface thereof. A smaller opening |31 leads from the inner end of the.opening |36 to the guideway ||2. A plunger |38 is passed through theopenings |36 and |31 and has the inner reduced threaded end thereofsecured in a tapped opening |39 in the punch holder ||6. A block |40 ismounted in the opening |36 to bear against the inner end thereof and hasa spring chamber |4| therein in which .a spring |42 is mounted to extendbetween the inner end of the spring chamber |4| and a shoulder |43 onthe plunger |30. The opening |31 is of sufficient size to enable theplunger |38 to freely move therein in the course of verticalreciprocation of the punch holder ||6 and the opening |36 is sized toenable movement of the block |40 therein in the course of suchreciprocal 'movement. It will be manifest that the tension of the spring|42 is impressed on the plunger |38 and that in this way the punchholder I6 is eectively seated in the guideway ||2 for reciprocationtherein.

The slitting punch and die assembly is best illustrated in Figs. 15, 16and 18 and by referring thereto it will be seen that this punch and dieassembly includes a quill |44 that is adapted to encase and frictionallyengage a tubular punch holder |45. An enlarged recess |46 is provided inthe lower end of the quill |44 and a guide block assembly |41,corresponding to the die block assembly hereinafter described, is fastin the recess |49. Guide openings are provided in the guide blockassembly |41 and the slitting punches |48 and |49 are reciprocal throughthese guide openings to respectively cooperate with the slitting dieopenings |50 and |5| in the die block assembly |52. This die blockassembly, like the die block assembly |22, consists of a plurality ofaccurately machined die blocks which, when fitted together and fast inthe die holder |53, cause the die openings |50 and |5| to be accuratelylocated with respect to the punches |48 and |49. The die holder |53 isadapted to rest on an adjusting nut |54 that is mounted in a tappedVopening |55 provided in the block |30 in alignment with the guideway||3, a set screw |56 being provided to retain the adjusting nut |54 inthe positions into which it is moved to dispose the outward face of thedie block assembly |52 in position to support the strip S at the timethe punches |48 and |49 are operative thereon. An opening |5| leadsthrough the adjusting nut |54 and the die holder |53 and communicateswith the die openings |50-and |5| sothat trimmings may fall therethroughto be discharged from the machine.

The punches |48 and |49 are retained in the punch holder |45 by a diecasting |51 that is formed yin situ and to this end an opening |58 isprovided in the'guide block assembly |41 at a medial position therein.When the punches |48 and |49 are to be fast in the punch holder |45, thelower end of this punch holder is arranged in spaced relation with theguide block assembly |41 in the quill |44 and the punches 48 and |49 arepassed through the guide openings in the guide block assembly. Theadjusting screw 200 is also arranged to have the inner end thereofspaced inwardly a short distance from the lower end of the punch holder.Then, in a manner well understood in the art, a die casting operation iscarried out -to form the die casting |51 in situ which thereafter firmlyretains the punches |46 and |49 in the punch holder |45. It has beenexplained heretofore that the punch holder |45 is tubular and theinterior thereof is screwthreadecl i that in the course of the aforesaiddie casting operation a screw-threaded boss |59 is formed. Hence when itis desired to sharpen to replace the punches |48 and |49, these punchesare retracted from the guide openings in the guide block assembly |41and thereafter the screwthreaded boss |59 may be unscrewed from theinterior of the punch holder |45. Inasmuch as the screw threads on theboss |59 are formed in situ, it is manifest that the die casting |51will seat accurately in the punch holder |45 even after repeatedremovals and installations thereof in this punch holder and this insuresaccurate positioning of the punches |40 and |49.

A portion of the quill |44 is shaped complementary to the guideway ||3and a springpressed plunger assembly generally indicated by |60,corresponding to that including the plunger 38, cooperates with thequill to insure seating thereof in the guideway ||3 in the couurse ofvertical reciprocation `thereof in this guideway.

An opening |6|, Fig. 18, is provided in the guide block ||0 and a headedpin |62 is mounted in this opening to have the head thereof engaged withthe rear face of the guide block ||0. An eccentric boss |63 is providedon the inner end of the pin |62 to lie in the path of vertical movementof the quill |44. A clamp screw |64 coopcrates with the head of the pin|62 to retain the eccentric boss |63 on this pin in adjusted positions.In the course of vertical reciprocation of the punch portion of thepunch and die assembly |05, the upper end of the quill 44 engages theeccentric boss |63 and this arrests upper movement of the quill, thepunch holder |45 being frictionally engaged with the quill and movingrelative thereto once the movement of the quill is so arrested. When thepunch portion of the punch and die assembly moves downwardly, theoutwardly disposed face of the guide block assembly |41 comes intoengagement with the strip S to thereby clamp the strip between 'thisguide block assembly and the die block assembly |52. The guide openingsin the guide block assembly are at this time aligned with the dieopenings |50 and |5| and the lower ends of the punches |48 and |49 arein the upper portions of the guide openings in the guide block assembly.Because of the frictional engagement between the quill |44 and the punchholder |45, the quill starts to move downwardly as soon as the punchholder starts to move downwardly. but when movement of the quill isarrested by engagement of the guide block assembly |41 with the strip S,the punch holder |45 moves relative to the quill and thereupon thepunches |48 and |49 move through the openings in the guide blockassembly and the strip material into the guide openings |50 and |5| tothereby form the slits X and Y in the strip material. When, however, thepunch holder |45 starts to move upwardly, the quill |44 immediatelystarts to move upwardly therewith, and this movement continues until thequill engages the eccentric boss |63 which, as stated heretofore,arrests upward movement of the quill and thereupon the punches |48 and|49 are retracted back into the guide openings in the guide blockassembly |41, the adjustment afforded by the eccentric boss |63 beingsuch that the extent of relative movement between the punch holder |45and quill |44 upon such arresting of the movement of the quill |44prevents the punches |48 and |49 from being withdrawn from the guideopenings in the guide block assembly.

The notching punch and die assembly |06 is best illustrated in Figs. 15,16, 19 and 21 and comprises a punch holder |65 that is reciprocal in theguideway ||4 in the guide block ||0. The punch |66 has a reduced upperend portion that is extended into a complementary opening in the punchholder |65 and which is secured therein by a screw |61. A stationarypunch guide assembly |68 consisting of two halves, as shown in Fig. 21,serves to guide the punch in the reciprocatory vertical movement. A dieassembly |69 is disposed beneath the punch guide assembly |68. Both ofthe just mentioned assemblies are held in position by a block |10 whichis secured to the front face of guide block |0 by screws I1 Figs. 16 and21. As shown in Fig. 19, the punch |66 has a lip portion |12 at thelower end thereof which is in constant engagement with a face of the dieassembly- |69 but which, as shown in Fig. 16, clears the strip S, andhence this lip portion may remain in engagement with the die assembly|69 to afford a guide for the punch |66. The punch |66 in the punch anddie assembly |06 operates to produce the notch Z in strip S, Fig. 22.

The cropping operation is performed by the punch and die assembly |01,which is best shown cured a cropping punch |14, which punch is re,

ciprocal in a U-shaped block |15 secured to guide block 0 by a bolt |16,Fig. 21. The outwardly disposed faces of the legs on the U-shaped block|15 abut a vertical surface of the block |10. A die assembly |11consisting of two halves, as shown in Fig. 16, is disposed below thecropping punch |14. This die assembly |11 is held in place laterally' bya. clamp block |18. This clamp block |18 has a recess |19 therein insuch a manner that a screw may be employed to urge the abutment |19 ofclamp block |18 into tensioned engagement with the die assembly |11. Apin |8| retains the clamp block |18 in position when for any reason thetension of the block has been removed by the unscrewing of bolt |80. Twoset screws |82 bear against the front vertical face of the die assembly|11 to positively prevent longitudinal displacement thereof. The setscrews |82 are threaded through tapped holes in the block |10.

A punch |14 is utilized to perform two simultaneous cropping or trimmingoperations. Referring to Fig. 22, it will be noted that when a tab T isformed by a severing operation along rthe line R a sharp corner at theposition indicated by R will be left jutting forth from the body E ofthe succeeding tab T. Thus, the punch |14 not only severs the tab alongthe line R but alsotrims 01T thesharp corner which has been left as aresult of the previous severing operation. Referring to Figs. 15 and'16, the left-hand edge of the punch |14 which overlies the edge |14 ofthe die assembly |-11 performs the severing operation along the line R,whereas the rounded corner of the punch |14 which overlies the roundedcorner |15 of the die assembly |11 performs the operation of trimmingthe corner R'.

Both of the die assemblies |69 and |11 are seated on the shelf |30which, as has been mentioned hereinabove, is secured to the guide block||0. A support block |83 is disposed between shelf |30 and the uppersurface of the machine bed 55, this support blockbeing secured to shelf|30 by bolts |84 and |85. A guide bar |86, Fig. 15, is fastened to thebed 55 by a screw |81, this guide bar |86 being seated in a recessprovided for that purpose in the bed 55. A recess |88 in the supportblock |83 is provided so that the support block |83 as well as theentire assembly associated with guide block |0 may be accuratelypositioned with respect to the guide bar |86 when the parts areassembled in the machine.

As mentioned hereinabove, a groove |89 is provided in the upper face ofthe clamp blodk |18 to permit the passage of an adjustable stop screw|90, Figs. 4, 6 and 15A. The screw |90 may be adjustably positioned sothat the end thereof will serve to engage the end of the strip S whilethe latter is being fed through the machine and stop it against furthermovement.

A side register for guiding the strip S through the punch and dieassemblies is provided in the form of a narrow block |9I, Figs. 16 to19, inclusive, this block or strip |9| being mounted in a recess |92 inguide block H0'. Adjusting screws |93 are provided to enable orientationof the strip 9|.

In order that the front edge of the strip S will be accurately guided,plunger |94, Fig. 16, is mounted in the block |10, the end of thisplunger |94 being urged against the front edge of the strip S by thetension of spring I 95 which is anchored to block |10 by a cap screw|96.

The punch and die assemblies |04 to |01, inclusive, and moreparticularly the punches and

